Senate Bill 147, presented May 21, would create a Southern Nevada Regional Planning for Economic Resiliency pilot program designed to coordinate infrastructure, transit and economic development planning across local governments in Clark County.

Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop introduced the bill and turned to David Damore, executive director of Brookings Mountain West’s Lindsay Institute at UNLV, to explain the bill’s origins. Damore said the pilot responds to a 2024 Southern Nevada Regional Industrial Study and findings that Southern Nevada lacks the organized regional planning capacity of competitor metros such as Phoenix, Denver and Salt Lake City.

"The goals of the pilot program are really twofold," Damore said: to evaluate and integrate planning for infrastructure and transit in areas targeted for economic development and redevelopment, and to identify funding sources to support infrastructure development.

The pilot would produce a prioritized list of projects (utilities, roadways, transit) based on input from local governments, stakeholders and an advisory committee created by the bill. Damore said the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) is positioned to convene this effort as the region’s metropolitan planning organization but that federal transportation planning funds are restricted to transportation; state funding would enable broader, non‑transportation infrastructure planning.

RTC representative Demi Falcon explained the appropriation would cover a consultant/project manager to build capacity; Falcon said the initial RTC estimate of $650,000 was reduced to $500,000 after the bill’s reprint and scoping changes.

Business and development groups — the Vegas Chamber, NAIOP and the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance — testified in support. No callers registered opposition. The sponsor closed without additional remarks.

Why it matters: Supporters say stronger regional infrastructure planning could help Southern Nevada compete for federal economic development funding and coordinated industrial investment. The RTC would use state funds to expand planning beyond strictly federally allowable transportation uses.

Discussion vs. decision: The hearing was a fiscal/policy presentation; no committee vote was recorded during this session.

Ending: If advanced, the program would be overseen by RTC with a local match requirement implicit in federal planning relationships; supporters urged the appropriation and RTC capacity funding as a next step.